Gatwick will be ready for new runway in 7 years4th June 2014 – Crawley News

Gatwick Airport has argued it is in a better position than Heathrow for expansion because it will be “road and rail ready” for a second runway by 2021.

Airport bosses unveiled proposed public transport improvements this week, with pledges that there will be a train to central London every two-and-a-half minutes by 2019.

Also promised were quicker journey times to the West End and City than Heathrow, and 1,000 railway stations accessible within one change.

Hugh Sumner, senior transport advisor for the airport, said: “Gatwick will be road and rail ready for a second runway by 2021 with no additional cost to the taxpayer.

“The ease at which these improvements can be delivered adds yet more weight to the obvious case for a new runway.

“We want 60 per cent of our customers to use public transport, comparable with the best globally and better than any UK airport.”

Passengers

Gatwick Airport railway station currently has 13 million passengers a year for airport purposes and one million who use it for commuting.

Airport bosses have said that not only will the public transport improvements place no additional burden on the taxpayer, but customers would actually generate £3 billion in rail ticket sales each year.

Airport passengers using the rail network would also help to fill trains in both directions off peak and in the opposite direction to commuters during peak periods.

Improved road links to the airport are also planned, with upgrades to the M23 approved to make it four lanes wide.

The airport has pledged to double capacity for vehicles at the junction 9 turn-off.

The A23 and Balcombe Road will also be diverted if the airport boundaries change due to expansion, to help prevent them becoming rat runs.

Gatwick Airport has submitted a 3,200 page report on why it should be chosen for expansion, to the Airports Commission.

The report, submitted today (May 14), has outlined arguments for a second runway at Gatwick being a better choice for expansion, than a third runway at Heathrow.

Arguments have included:

Expansion at Gatwick will provide an additional 260,000 flights by 2050.

An additional runway at Gatwick can be delivered five years earlier than at Heathrow.

It will deliver around £40 billion more to the UK’s economy, than Heathrow’s expansion would.

Ten million more passengers each year will be able to travel with an additional runway at Gatwick, than with a third runway at Heathrow.

A second runway at Gatwick would impact 14,000 people, compared to the 240,000 people impacted by noise from Heathrow.

Expansion at Gatwick would attract businesses and create 120,000 jobs across London and the South East.

Gatwick’s expansion would cost £7.8 billion – less than at Heathrow, where it would cost more than run to put part of the M25 into a tunnel.

Stewart Wingate, CEO at Gatwick, said: “Why would you choose to fly a quarter of a million more planes every year over one of the world’s most densely populated cities when instead you can fly them mostly over fields? Why tunnel part of the busiest motorway in Europe – M25 – causing serious traffic disruption, when you can build on land already set aside for expansion? The choice is an obvious one.”

A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council has said the council supports in principle the expansion of Gatwick and it will meet with Gatwick’s management to discuss residents’ concerns “as
soon as possible”.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign), said: “We will be studying the plans carefully when they’re published but at the moment this looks like a lot of advertising hype matched by similar advertising hype by Heathrow.’

Gatwick second runway fact file

Gatwick currently has a noise impact on 3,650 people in 1,600 homes. Heathrow impacts 240,000 people in 100,000 homes. With an expansion Gatwick would have a noise impact on 14,200 people in 5,500 homes by 2050. Gatwick has pledged to compensate those affected with £1,000 per year. Some 166 homes would be removed to make way for the second runway at Gatwick.